Hell's Gate
Here's what the blurb has to say:
Hell's Gate: an explosive, gritty and utterly gripping new crime thriller
A disused railway tunnel where, cruel and sinister deeds are executed.
A policeman on a mission.
A killer who will stop at nothing.
The formidable DCI Cyril Bennett and DS David Owen of Harrogate Police find themselves embroiled in a series of bizarre events.
A domestic dog attack on a child soon leads to a more complex case - the macabre discovery of a jigsaw of featureless, indiscernible body parts amongst bin bags littering a quiet road on the outskirts of the town.
While under the leadership of a Chinese Mafioso, a team of Eastern Europeans spreads its tentacles into the sordid underworld of people trafficking, dog fighting, prostitution and murder.
Bennett quickly has his hands full investigating a gambling syndicate, the discovery of a mutilated corpse, the death of a prostitute and the case of a badly beaten police officer.
As Bennett and his team are stretched to capacity cracks begin to appear.
Is there a link between these cases and can they catch a twisted killer before he strikes again?
Here are my thoughts:
In Hells Gate we catch up with DCI Cyril Bennett and DS David Owen. Once again we are in the beautiful (if a little sinister getting) Yorkshire. Hells Gate is the second in the series, set primarily in Harrogate, but can be read as a stand alone. You do however get more from understanding the characters and personalities if you've read (and loved like i did, Only the dead. The first in the series) Personally i found this one a lot darker and more intense in its plot line and writing style. The intricate details, as always clearly well researched and well executed in its entirety. A well structured and all too believable storyline, that at times (and there are many in this one) give you those "WOW" moments.
We find ourselves in a disused railway tunnel, with a homeless man believing himself safe. Or is he? Voices. Loud, chilling, terrifying voices....coming closer.
In this one, we as the reader are subjected to hard hitting parts regarding animal abuse. Namely, illegal dog fighting. These scenes are brutal in their nature and graphic in the detail. However, totally necessary in this extremely uncomfortable part of the story.
I'll be honest, i can't recall any other book that i've read like it. It was a first for me. *Please note though, that these scenes are not for the faint hearted and may distress some readers. Please don't let these deter you from the book in any way. You'd be missing out on something special.
Not only do we have this going on, elsewhere, the murky underground world of people trafficking, gambling and prostitution are thriving. Courtesy of a gang of eastern europeans. Throw in cold-blooded murder and you have yourself an explosive, crime mystery novel.
Now as for our stars, Bennett and Owen, what can i say but truly brilliant! The author has given us a truly outstanding and at times, comedic, pairing. They really are perfectly suited to each other, complementing each other and the stories beautifully.
These two have fast tracked their way to a spot in my all time favourite (fictional) detectives.
They are plausible, likeable and have a quality that is more humanised in each book you read, making them a lot more relatable than most that have gone before. Written with depth and meaning i'm really enjoying learning a bit more about this dynamic duo.
Even though the scenes are grim, i experienced a frisson of excitement that only comes when you find something that is completely new to you, totally different, and stands out from other books in the same genre. Where you are reading it and involuntarily find yourself sitting up straighter, taking it all in and giving a book like this all the attention it deserves.
So, in closing, would i recommend this book? Abso-frickin-lutely! To family, friends, everyone! Would i buy this book? It's top of my christmas list!
If i hadn't made it obvious already, or you didn't pick up on my enthusiasm. I love this book/series. It's without a doubt. in my top reads of the year. I'm currently reading book three, Flesh Evidence, and already i'm awaiting the fourth and the fifth and so on and so on. Really, don't wait any longer to treat yourself to this.
